YEAR IN REVIEW: Marshfield's run to Garden highlighted a great year

Chris McDaniel cmcdaniel@wickedlocal.com @ChrisMcDaniel88

Thursday

Dec 27, 2018 at 3:33 AM

The 2017-18 Marshfield High boys hockey team was the definition of a team.

The Rams had a ton of different contributors who helped lead the team to the TD Garden for the Division 1 state final. Although they fell to Waltham in the state championship, the Rams were the story of the year.

The season looked like it would be a rebuilding one for the Rams. The Rams were incorporating a new cast after reaching the Super 8 for the first time in program history the year prior, but that didn’t stop Marshfield from shocking some.

In the Division 1 South Sectional final, the Rams survived a thriller with Braintree. Just 21 seconds into the overtime, Paul Rorke broke a 0-0 tie with a breakaway goal off a feed from Jon Jordan to send the Rams to the TD Garden.

“(There’s) nothing better than getting a goal to send your team to the (TD) Garden,” said Rorke following the game. “It’s a dream come true.”

Marshfield lacked a star as 10 different players scored 10 or more points. Fifteen players netted goals, none finished with more than 11.

The boys hockey team wasn’t the only one that embraced an underdog role. The MHS baseball team pulled off a monster upset in the Division 1 South Sectionals, when the 16th-seeded Rams eliminated top-seeded perennial power Plymouth North, 1-0, in the first round. Eddie Kielty needed only 69 pitches to throw a two-hit shutout in the win. Brendan Ward had a bloop single to plate Marcus Forrester for the only run of the game.

Although those teams made plenty of headlines, it was the MHS boys outdoor track team may have topped them both with a title. The 4x800 meter relay team of Liam Hipwell, Joe Joyce, Mike Maglio and James Condon won the Division 2 Eastern Mass title in 8:01.

Coaches for the Rams made plenty of headlines.

Ed Ryan, the longtime MHS girls track coach, was inducted into the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association Hall of Fame on June 10.

Boys basketball coach Bob Fisher earned a lifetime achievement award from Boston Amateur Basketball Club in March. The hoops mastermind earned his 600th win a coach in 2016. Last season, the Rams finished 14-5 and won the Atlantic Coast League title.

Chris Arouca, the only person to win multiple state championships as a player and coach at MHS, took over for Lou Silva as the Rams football coach. Although his first season at the helm was more of a rebuilding year, Marshfield earned a highlight win over Dennis-Yarmouth, 25-23, on Oct. 12.

In the play of the year, Christian Dunn completed a 31-yard touchdown pass to Nico Pellegrini as time expired to knock off the then defending Division 5 state champion Dolphins. Cade Chabra tipped the pass in the end zone and Pellegrini hauled in the ball for the win.

Dennis Sheppard, who has had plenty of success coaching the MHS boys cross country and track teams, took over as head coach of the girls cross country team. Both teams were extremely young this fall, but it’s apparent they have bright futures. Expect big things from both squads with Sheppard leading the way.

The MHS softball team entered the season somewhat unsure of what to expect from sophomore pitcher Brianna Melchionda. She was taking over for the first time as a full-time varsity pitcher.

It didn’t take long for the Rams to realize they had something special in the circle.

Melchionda began her career on a blistering pace. Her second start of the year was a one-hit shutout. Two days later there was a perfect game, which was the first that coach Rick Fredericks had ever seen live in his 39 years of coaching softball and baseball. The next morning, she tossed a two-hit shutout against Bridgewater-Raynham, which is consistently one of the best softball programs in the state.

Ultimately, Marshfield won their first 13 games of the season before finished 17-3.

Although plenty of teams nabbed league titles, the gymnasts and swimmers had standout seasons.

In February, the gymnastics team won the Cranberry League Division 2 Championship Meet. Allie Grindle, Jenna Bilodeau and Chloe Ashmont led the way.

The swimming and diving team posted its best season in program history. The Rams were undefeated in dual meets while Olivia Mozoki (200 yard IM, 100 butterfly and Bryce Hunt (100 breaststroke) were crowned state champions.